Folding berry-box.



W. W. WOOD. FOLDING BERRY B0X.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 2, 1909.

Patented June 28, 1910.

IIT STAT FFI.

FOLDING BERRY-BOX.

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it known `that I, WILLIAM W. VOOD, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Raymond, in the county of Pacic and State of lVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Berry-Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to boxes for the shipping of berries and other small fruit, and has for its object to provide a box which can be folded for shipment to the farmer so that a large number thereof will occupy very small space in shipment and storage, and which he can put into shape for use quickly without having to add any part to the box or do any work thereon except the unfolding thereof, and which shall, when thus unfolded, be as strong and of the same general form as those in extensive use. I attain these and other objects by the devices illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which,

Figure l is an elevation of my improved box folded for shipment; Fig. 2 is a plan thereof showing the folded parts slightly separated to distinguish the parts thereof, one from the other; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the box unfolded and ready for use; Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the box showing the bottom thereof being bent down from the folded to the opened positions thereof; Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the bottom in place for use; Fig. 6 is a elevation of a variation in form of the end of the bottom strip; and Fig. 7 is a plan of one side of the box arranged to receive the end of the bottom as illustrated in Fig. 6.

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

This box consists of a strip 1 of thin wood, such as veneer, or other suitable material, which has been scored at suitable places 2 to allow it to be bent at right-angles to form the corners of the box, the said strip 1 when thus bent forming the four sides of the box. The two ends of the strip l are fastened together by suitable metal staples 3 and 4. A bottom of the box is formed out of a strip 5 of the same kind of material as the box and has two score marks made across it, one near each end 6 and 7 thereof. The upper or free end 6 of the bottom is cut at each corner as plainly shown in Fig. l. The

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 28, 1910.,

Application filed. March 2*, 1909.

Serial No. 480,906.

bottom strip 5 is secured to the box at the other end 7 thereof, by the lower of the two staples above mentioned and by an additional staple S near the other side thereof, both of said staples 3 and 8 securing the said bottom permanently to the box by the end 7 thereof. A support 9 formed of a wire or long staple is secured to the opposite side of the box to that to which the bottom is secured and extends practically across the said side at about the level of the score mark near the end 7 of the bottom strip 5.

It is evident that, when the bottom has been raised into the position shown in Fig. l, the sides of the box can be compressed together out of the rectangular form into the fiat or parallelogram form shown in Fig. 2 and that, when they are in this form,'

a large number can be bundled together into very small space for shipment or storage. Then as soon as it is desired to use the boxes they are unpacked, and each box is drawn out into rectangular shape, then the free end 6 of the bottom strip 5 is bent at right angles thereto to form a hook, then the bottom strip 5 is bent down into the box so that the hook end 6 thereof shall pass between the opposite side of the box and the support wire 9 secured thereto. The box is then ready for use.

In the variation shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the wire support 10 is secured to the box in the center thereof as well as at the ends and the free end of the bottom is provided with a slot l1 so that it can enter between the side of the box and each of the wire loops thus formed.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:-

l. In a folding berry box, the combination of a strip bent to form the sides of the box and adapted to be compressed from its normal rectangular shape to a flat parallelogram shape; a bottom strip secured at one end thereof to one of the sides of said box, and adapted to be bent to form the bottom of said box; and a long wire staple secured inside the box to the side opposite to which the said bottom is secured and adapted to support the free end of said bottom.

2. In a folding berry box, the combination of a strip bent to form the sides of the box and adapted to be compressed upon itself from its normal rectangular shape to a fiat parallelogram shape; a bottom strip secured secured and adapted to engage andi-.support at one end thereof to one ofthe sides of said the hook end of said bottom. .LO box, and adapted normally to be bent to In testimony whereof I aix my signature form the bottom of said box; a. down-turned n presence of two Witnesses.

hook formed on the free end of said bottom VILLIAM W. WOOD. strip; and a long Wire staple secured to and Witnesses:

spaced from the inside of the boX on the P. T. JOHNSON,

side opposite to Which the said bottom is B. S. SWANsoN. 

